Speaker: No confidence vote against PM may only be possible next year

(Malay Mail Online) – Pakatan Harapan’s planned motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will not likely be debated in the current parliamentary meeting, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said, citing procedures in the Standing Orders.

The Dewan Rakyat Speaker pointed out that Standing Orders 26 and 27 stipulate that a motion notice must be filed 14 days before a meeting convenes and not while it is in session.

“I want to remind Permatang Pauh, if she wants to go ahead with this motion and if the motion satisfies Standing Orders 26 and 27, even if its accepted, it will only be at the next sitting and not this sitting,” Pandikar told the House today, referring to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Yesterday, Pakatan Harapan confirmed that Dr Wan Azizah will be filing a notice to Parliament on the no confidence motion against Najib some time this week.

The motion is to replace the previous one filed by PKR MP Hee Loy Sian. Hee’s motion, which was filed over a week ago, is currently listed as the 27th item out of 28 in the motions for debate today.

Pandikar’s statement to the House did not sit well with DAP’s Seremban MP Anthony Loke.

Loke pointed out to the Speaker that Marang MP Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had previously filed his motion on hudud when Parliament was in session.

“Tan Sri Speaker, but previously, Marang had filed his motion when Parliament was in session and it was listed as part of the motions to be debated in Dewan Rakyat,” he said.

Pandikar said he would take note of Loke’s point before inviting the MPs to his chamber to discuss the no confidence motion.

Najib is currently facing pressure over the multi-billion ringgit 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy, which opposition MPs are using to seek the no confidence vote against him in Parliamenty.